21.69 lakh TB cases notified between Jan-Oct: Centre
New Delhi, December 3 (IANS) The Center on Tuesday said around 21.69 lakh cases of tuberculosis (TB) have been notified between January and October 2024.
TB notification has been a concern in India, but the country has seen improvements in recent years.
“The reported TB cases have increased from 18.05 lakh in 2020 to 25.52 lakh in 2023,” Health and Family Welfare Minister Anupriya Patel said in a written reply to the Rajya Sabha.
“About 21.69 lakh TB cases were notified between January and October in 2024,” he added.
Patel said the National TB Elimination Program (NTEP), under the National Health Mission (NHM), has made significant efforts to make India TB-free.
India aims to end TB by 2025, five years ahead of the global 2030 goal.
The incidence rate of fatal infectious disease and related deaths has also seen a significant decrease.
“TB statistics in India showed a 17.7 percent decrease from 237 per 100,000 people in 2015 to 195 per 100,000 people in 2023. in 2023,” said Patel.
In addition, Patel noted that key initiatives and interventions implemented under the NTEP include targeted interventions in high-burden TB areas through specific state and regional strategic plans; provision of free drugs and diagnosis of TB patients; active TB case finding through campaigns in high-risk and co-morbid populations.
The program also integrated Ayushman Arogya Mandir with TB testing and treatment services; increase private sector engagement in TB case awareness and control initiatives; scale up molecular diagnostic laboratories to village level; and expanded coverage under Nikshay Poshan Yojana to support nutrition for TB patients, the MoS said.
